Todd Cantwell's two biggest Old Firm contributions so far have been to wave his arms in the air to try and rouse the Rangers fans and move a water bag to stop Reo Hatate getting a drink.
The Japanese’s first two involvements in the fixture after arriving in Glasgow were to smash two goals past Allan McGregor. Alfredo Morelos huffed and plodded his way around while sticking his face into Joe Hart. Kyogo Furuhashi smiles and rockets across the turf while sticking the ball in the net. Ryan Kent made one Hampden run and virtually gave up. Daizen Maeda made about 100 of them in the same game. Malik Tillman flattered to deceive with no goals against Celtic. Jota has hit the winner in the last two.
These are just some reasons why Ange Postecoglou’s team are champions and Michael Beale’s men are playing this lunchtime for nothing other than pride. There is a gap in quality between Rangers and Celtic. A difference in ability to produce when it really counts. That, of course, can be changed. Beale’s going to rebuild, so better players can come in which opens that opportunity. But what is far, far more important is the setting of standards and demands.
Beale has to get that spot on if he is to have any hope of overhauling Celtic next season and, with that in mind, the whole Morelos affair in the past few weeks has left me bemused. Last weekend, Beale basically came out and said what everybody could see for weeks. That the Colombian was leaving and he wasn’t very fit.
Now I understand the manager had to try and get a tune out of his players in the final few games. With a chance of a trophy still there, he needed to keep them onside, so couldn’t lob people under a bus. But to pick Morelos to start the Viaplay Cup Final, the Scottish Cup semi-final and the win-or-bust Premiership game at Celtic Park now looks, quite frankly, odd.
Morelos was off the pace in all of those matches, even if he did score in the first one and perhaps should not have had a goal ruled out in the second. Now I’m not inside the Rangers Training Centre every day. For all I know, Morelos was flying around all week in training before those matches and looking as sharp as a tack. But the evidence on the park didn’t suggest that was the case. And, if he wasn’t, then you have to ask what message that sent to the rest when he is still picked.
It’s one thing being desperate for a result. But standards have to be met and set. Take the example across the city from Postecoglou. It was reasonably obvious after the World Cup that Giorgos Giakoumakis was going to be leaving Celtic. Selling in January could have been a risk. Oh Hyeon-gyu has done well and Postecoglou would have known what he was getting, but losing Kyogo to injury would still have left Celtic short. No doubt.
Yet there was no hanging about. If you are not with us, then off you go. That seemed to be the mantra. I’m not suggesting for a second Giakoumakis was causing any bother.
I’m more taking a view that it’s a case of, if you are not 100 percent on board with us, you are no use to us. Such a decisive approach sends a clear message around any dressing room.
Look at ex-Ranger Mikel Arteta with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last season. He was Arsenal’s best attacking player. Their No.1 striker. Arteta had no back up. He was going to leave himself short by putting him into exile out of his first-team and he was risking results. But he did it because Aubameyang clearly wasn’t on board with the group or doing the right things, so he had to show authority and send a message to the rest.
Arsenal’s performances and results since tell you the story of why that was the right thing to do. That’s the type of strong management that’s needed at big clubs. If Morelos was going to stay at Rangers, he’d have signed a contract ages ago. Everyone knew he was going and didn’t look fit, yet Beale still went to him for the biggest games. Same with Ryan Kent. Now I just don’t get that.
Football has changed and players do run down contracts, but Beale had an opportunity to show he was boss by leaving them out and starting others and he didn’t do it. Even if it made the team, on paper, slightly weaker, I can’t help feeling it might have made his overall group stronger.
If I’m in that dressing room and Morelos and Kent are picked ahead of me, I’m thinking my manager just doesn’t trust me and I’m grafting every day for nothing. Penny for the thoughts of Antonio Colak on the days he sat on the bench first time at Hampden and then at Celtic Park as Morelos started ahead of him.
It’s done now and Beale has to look forward. In truth, today’s game with Celtic doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Sure both teams want to win and it might ease a bit of stress on Beale if he gets it, but it really has no bearing on the future and the Rangers fans also won’t be duped.
I recall four years ago. Celtic were on the brink of winning a Treble Treble and lost a dead rubber at Ibrox 2-0 when Neil Lennon had just taken over from Brendan Rodgers. James Tavernier went onto social media after the game to declare that Glasgow was Blue.
You’d hope Beale would take their phones off them if his team wins because that sort of silliness when all the trophies are sat elsewhere isn’t going to court favour with the masses anymore. Rangers’ players have had their chances to deliver with their feet this season instead of their fingers and they have failed.
Beale knows the task he has to turn that around next season. And it is going to take more than good footballers sending instagrams and waving arms in the air. Rangers need to have standards. And show some bottle. Not have players hiding them from Player of the Year nominees.
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